Michael Lukow
American soldier and Paralympic recurve archer known as the Blue Falcon.
Michael Lukow (born June 8, 1986), nicknamed the Blue Falcon, is an American soldier and Paralympic recurve archer. He grew up in Alamosa, Colorado, with his parents Rikki and Bruce, two older brothers, and a younger sister. He attended Trinity Lutheran Preschool and Sangre De Cristo Elementary, Middle, and High School.
Lukow joined the U.S. Army in 2005 and was deployed to Iraq. On January 30, 2008, an IED explosion in Baghdad cost him his right foot and damaged his left foot. He received the Iraq Campaign Medal, Purple Heart, and National Defense Service Medal. He took up archery as part of his physical and mental recovery. His achievements include silver medals at the 2011 Parapan American Games and in the team round at the 2017 World Championships in Beijing, a gold medal in the team round at the 2019 World Championships in the Netherlands, and a gold at the 2014 Pan American Championships. At the 2016 Paralympics, he placed 23rd in the ranking round and tied for 17th.
After his 2008 injuries, Lukow married Nikita Machesky at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alamosa. The couple has two children.
Quick Facts
- Full Name
- Michael Oris Lukow
- Birth Date
- 8 June 1986
- Birth Place
- Alamosa, Colorado, U.S.
- Height
- 6 ft 3 in
- Sport
- Archery
- Club
- U.S. Army
- Event
- Recurve
- Medal Templates
- the / Parapan American Games / 2011 Guadalajara · Recurve
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Michael Lukow grew up in Alamosa, Colorado, attending Trinity Lutheran Preschool and Sangre De Cristo Elementary, Middle, and High School. He joined the U.S. Army in 2005 and was deployed to Iraq, where on 30 January 2008 he lost his right foot and damaged his left foot in an IED explosion in Baghdad. For his service, he received the Iraq Campaign Medal, Purple Heart, and National Defense Service Medal. After his injuries, Lukow took up archery as a mental and physical aid to recover. He won silver medals at the 2011 Parapan American Games, a silver in the team round at the 2017 World Championships in Beijing, China, and a gold in the team round at the 2019 World Championships in the Netherlands, as well as a gold at the 2014 Pan American Championships. He placed 23rd in the ranking round and tied for 17th at the 2016 Paralympics. Lukow married Nikita Machesky after his 2008 injuries at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alamosa, Colorado, and they have two children.
Reader's Guide
Michael Lukow's significance lies in his transition from a combat-wounded soldier to a decorated Paralympic archer, demonstrating the rehabilitative power of sport. His competitive record includes multiple international medals, notably a team gold at the 2019 World Championships and a team silver at the 2017 World Championships, as well as a silver at the 2011 Parapan American Games and a gold at the 2014 Pan American Championships. His participation in the 2016 Paralympics, where he placed 23rd in the ranking round and tied for 17th, further underscores his standing in the sport. Known as the Blue Falcon, Lukow's achievements highlight the role of archery in physical and mental recovery, and his story is a testament to perseverance after severe injury. His legacy is tied to both his military service and his athletic accomplishments, representing the intersection of resilience and competitive excellence in Paralympic archery.
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